Reinforced sole



Feb. 26, 1946. ROLLINS 2,395,582-

REINFORCED SOLE Filed Oct. 2, 1943 [wenlar Lev-m3 W Rollins 13g his'Attor'neH Patented Feb. 26, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,395,582 I REINFGRCED SOLE Leroy W. Rollins, Medford, Mass, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Computation, Flemington, N. ;I., acorporation of NeWJersey Application October 2, 1943, Serial no. 504.1730

4 Glaims.

invention relates to reiniorced soles and is illustrated herein with particular reference to a reinforced cutsole. Insome types or shoes, particularlyheavy army shoes and work shoes which are to receive rough usage, it is otten desirable to reinforce the leather outsoles of the shoes in order to increase their wearing qualities and thus lengthen the lives of the shoes. The reinforcement of such .an outsole is usually accomplished by slugging or quilting the iorepart with nails, page or studs which are driven into the outer or grain surface of the outsole after it has been attached to the shoe and while the shoe is still on the last. The pegs or studs extend through the full thickness of the outsole and their outer ends ,are usually located flush with, or .slightly below, the grain or tread surface of the cutsole.. The nose or studs are composed of metal, wood or some kind of fibrous material and, since they are harder than the leather of the cutsole, they wear down more slowly, thereby protecting the outsole and increasing its wearing quality to a considerable degree.

bottom because that would mar the inside of the shoe and cement or glue is generally not sufiicient to :hold the pegs permanently in the outsole be.- cause the moisture, heat, pressure and constant flexing to which the sole is subjected during its wear would break the bond securing the pegs in the material of theoutsole.

An important object of th present invention is to provide an improved reintorced outsole.

With this object in view, the invention comprises an improved leather outsole reinforced at its torepart by pegs extending through the .full thickness of the outsole with the entering or outer ends of the pegs substantially flush with the grain surface of the .outsole and the opposite or inner ends of the pegs having heads thereon which engage the attaching or flesh surface of the outsole and the material adjacent thereto and thus lock the pegs against endwise movement .in the outsole and prevent them from working outwardly toward its grain or tread surface under the constant flexing of the outsole on the shoe during the wearing of the shoe. The. pegs arecomposed of a synthetic plastic material which is harder Oneof the disadvantages of the rein-forced out- 1 and more .resistant to friction and wear than 55 leather and they are inserted in holes punched through the \outsole, said holes being spaced inwardly of the marginal'portion of the :outsole and preferably being located about, equal distances apart throughout the greater portion of torepart of the cutsole.

With the above and other obiects and aspects in view, the invention will now .be described in detail in connection with the accompanying drawing and will thereafter be pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing: v n .Fig. 1 is a perspective view of anoutsole reinforced by pegs in accordance with the present invention, the outsole being shown flesh side up;

Fig. .2 is a detail view, partly in section, illustrating the method of inserting pegs in the outsole with the :aid of a fastening inserting machine, the .outsole being shown on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 3 isa fragmentary section through the outsole on .a still larger scale showing two of the pegs after they have .been inserted;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the toe of the reinforced outsole, .as viewed from the outer or grain surface thereof;

Fig. 5 illustrates the type of shoe in which the outsole .is embodied andindicates how the outsole is flexed in the wearing of the shoe;

Fig. 6 isa fragmentaryseotional view simila to Fig. 3 with the outsole bent or flexed in the man! nerillustratedinFigj; and

Fig. '7 .is a perspective view of an outsole unit reintonced by peg in accordance with the present invention.

In manufacturing the improved outsole of the present invention .a leather outsole -JIJ of a size, shape and thickness adapting it tor use rough heavy shoes such, .for example, as army or work shoes, is reinforced to increase its wearing .quality by inserting in the forepatt thereof a, plurality of pegs .42 in con-fiornnty with the well-known practice of slugging or quilting sole members.

The .reiniorci-ng or quilting of the outsole is pref-- erably per-formed before the outsole is :attached to a shoe and the pegs are inserted in .a manner which causes them to remain permanently in the outsole during the wearing of the shoe, thereby greatly increasing the life of the outsole and shoe.

vAs illustrated, the pegs l2 are composed of a synthetic plastic material which is capable of being deiiormed by pressure and is preferably supplied the term of a cylindrical cord :orstrand wound upon a reel so that the pegs may be out off and inserted in the outsole progressively with the aid, for example, of a fastening inserting machine of the type disclosed in Letters Patent of the United States No. 1,849,253, granted March 15, 1932 on an application filed in the name of Fred N. LaChapelle, portions of the operating mechanisms of this machine being illustrated in Fig. 2. "AS; disclosed in the patent referred to, the fastening inserting. machine is arranged to measure the thickness of a sole member or other Work piece, to punch holes in the work piece for receiving fastenings, to feed thework piece step by step across a work support or rest, and to drive the fastenings or pegs into the holes after the pegs have been cut to the lengths determined by the measurement made by the machine when punching the holes. As illustrated in Fig. 2, the machine is provided with a work rest l4 and a work support I6, the latter having secured to its shank portion a laterally and upwardly extending arm I8 on the-upper end of which is adjustably mounted a work gage 20 which is secured in adjusted position by a screw 22. The machine is also provided with a throat member 24 having a driver passage in which a driver 26 opcrates.

.The leather outsole I is presented to the operating elements of the machine by placing the outsole upon the work' support 16 and moving it rearwardly until it engages the work gage 20. The work support is then elevated manually by a .treadle (not shown) to move the upper surface of the outsole against the work rest l4 and throat 24, after which the'power of the machine is started to cause the machine to punch the holes 28 (Fig. 2) in the outsole and to drive the pegs l2 into the holes. The holes 28 are punched by an awl (not shown) and the awl then moves laterally while in the hole to feed the outsole and to move the hole into alinement with the driver 26, after which the awl' is withdrawn and moved out of the way of the driver to permit the peg l2, wh ch has now beensevered, to be driven into the hole28.

The inner or fiesh'surface of the outsole I0 is indicated in the drawing by the numeral 30 and its outer or grain surface is indicated by the numeral 32. As illustrated in Fig. 2, the outsole is presentedeto the fastening inserting machine withthe, flesh surface 30 uppermost and the grain surface 32 facing downwardly so that the plastic pegs 2 are driven into the holes 28 from the flesh -surfaceof the outsole toward its grain surface. The pegs are driven through the full thickness of the outsole so that the entering ends of the pegs, that is, the lower ends as viewed in Figs. 2, 3 and 6, are substantially flush with the outer or grain surface 32 of the outsole and thus form a part of the tread surface, of the shoe bottom.

As indicated above, the pegs l2 are composed I of a synthetic plastic material which is pliable and deformable without breaking under pressure but which is nevertheless considerably harder and more resistant to friction and wear than ordinary sole leather. The plastic material of the pegs is also capable of being supplied in a long cord or strand which may be wound upon a spool or reel and thus be conveniently supplied to a machine adapted to cut and insert the pegs successively into the punched holes, such as the machine referred to above. An example of a synthetic plastic material which has been found particularly adapted for this purpose is the material known commercially under the trade name of Saran.

Since the plastic material referred to is capable of being deformed under pressure, the plastic pegs will be deformed or broomed over at their inner ends by the force of the driver 26 in the driving operation, as illustrated in Figs. 2, 3 and 6, thi brooming over of the pegs expanding or enlarging their inner ends and providing heads 34 thereon-which engage the'fleshsurface of the outsole. andthe fibrousmaterial adjacent thereto.

Consequently, when the reinforced outsole I0 is embodied in a shoe of the heavy rough type, suitable for use as an army shoe or a work shoe, the plastic pegs l2 will be locked against endwise movement in the outsole and thus will remain permanently in the outsole under the normal flexing thereof during the wearing of the shoe. In other words, the enlarged headed portions 34 on the inner ends of the pegs will prevent the pegs from working outwardly toward the grain or tread surface 32 of the outsole by'the engagement'of these heads with the flesh surface 30 and the fibrous material adjacent to this surface. The loosening of the pegs or their working out of the outsole under such flexing during wear is further prevented by the fact that when the forepart of the outsole is flexed lengthwise, as it is in walking during the wearing of the shoe, the flesh surface 30 and the material adjacent to the flesh surface are compacted or compressed to a considerable degree, as indicated in Fig. 6, whereas the grain or tread surface 32 and material adjacent thereto are stretched or expanded to a corresponding degree. Consequently, any tendency of the plastic pegs l2 to move or work outwardly under the bending or flexing action of the outsole during walking is further prevented by this compressing of the flesh surface 30 and of the material adjacent thereto around the enlarged heads '34 on the inner ends of the pegs I2. In other words while the natural tendency of the flexing of the outsole lengthwise during the wearing of the shoe is to urge the pegs gradually outwardly toward thegrain surface of the sole, this tendency is offset or prevented in the present case due to the fact that the pegs are provided with enlargements or heads on their inner ends which are located at the flesh side of the outsole and due also to the fact that the compressing action of the flesh surface of the outsole and of the material adjacent thereto grips these heads and cooperates therewith to hold the pegs firmly in the material of the outsole irrespective of the'flexing action. r V

Fig. 5 illustrates the outsole l0 applied to a shoe of the heavy army or work type, the shoe comprising. a usual insole (not shown), a heavy leather upper 36, the reinforced outsole "Land a leather heel 38. As shown in Fig. 5 the shoe is being bent or flexed as it would be in walking during the wearing of the shoe and the forepart of the outsole I0 is arched or curved lengthwise a noticeable amount by reason of this flexing, as illustrated in Fig. 6. Fig. 6 also indicates by irregular wavy lines extending heightwise of the outsole how the flesh surface 30 and the material.

adjacent thereto become compressed or more solid and compact when the outsole is flexed and thus press against and grip the heads 34 of the plastic pegs I2. I

Fig. 7 illustrates another and heavier type of sole member adapted forums in army shoes and work shoes which may bereinfo'rced or quilted by pegs in accordance with thepresent disclosure. The sole member of Fig, '7 comprises an outsole ascasse unit 40 consisting of a full length leather outsole 42 and a leather half or tap sole 44, the tap sole being attached to the outer or grain surface of the outsole 42 and covering its forepart rearwardly to about the ball line. A row of through-andthrough stitches 46 extend through the outsole unit from the heel breast line at one side thereof forwardly around the shank and forepart to the heel breast line at the opposite side, the stitches passing through the tap sole 44 at the forepart of the outsole and permanently securing it thereto.

As shown in Fig. 7, the inner or flesh side 48 of the outsole 42 forms the upper or attaching surface of the outsole unit 40 and the grain side of the tap sole 44 forms the outer or tread surface of the forepart of the unit. The outsole unit is reinforced at its forepart, as explained above, by a plurality of pegs 50 of syntheticplastic material such, for example, as Saran, which are inserted throughout substantially the entire area of the forepart of the outsole unit inwardly of the stitches 46, the pegs being preferably located in rows spaced equal distances apart and following the outline or periphery of the forepart of the outsole.

The plastic pegs 5.0 are inserted in holes punched through the two layers at the forepart of the sole member and the pegs are of a. length determined by the combined thicknesses of the layers, their lengths being controlled by the fastening inserting machine referred to so that the outer ends of the pegs are substantially flush with the grain or tread surface of the tap sole 44.

The pegs are broomed over or expanded at their inner ends by the driver 26 in the inserting operation, as explained above, to form enlarged portions or heads on these inner ends which engage the flesh surface 48 of the outsole 42 and the material adjacent to this surface and thus hold or lock the pegs permanently in the outsole unit by preventing them from working downwardly or outwardly toward the grain or tread surface of the tap sole 44 under the lengthwise flexing of the outsole on the shoe during the wearing of the shoe. In other words, the same action that took place in the single-ply outsole ID of Fig. 1 under the flexing of the outsole takes place in the heavy two-ply outsole unit of Fig. 7 and the plastic pegs 50 will thus remain permanently in the outsole during the wearing of the shoe, thereby greatly increasing the wearing quality of the outsole and prolonging the life of the shoe to a substantial degree.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A leather outsole reinforced by a plurality of pegs of plastic material extending through the body of the outsole from the flesh side to the grain side thereof, the outer ends of said pegs being substantially flush with said grain side and the inner ends of said pegs being broomed out to form heads which engage the outsole adjacent to its flesh side and prevent the pegs from working out of the outsole under the flexing of the outsole on a shoes during the wearing of the shoe.

2. A leather outsole reinforced at its forepart by a plurality of pegs of synthetic plastic material spaced inwardly from the edge of said forepart, said pegs extending through holes punched through the outsole with the outer ends of the pegs located substantially flush with the grain surface of the outsole and the inner ends of the pegs terminating in enlarged portions forming heads on said ends which engage the flesh surface of the outsole and the material adjacent thereto, said heads being gripped by said material under the normal flexing of the outsole on a shoe during the wearing of the shoe and thus preventing the pegs from working endwise out of said holes under such flexing.

3. An outsole for a shoe comprising a leather blank shaped to form the forepart, shank and heel portions of the outsole, said outsole being reinforced throughout its forepart by a plurality of pegs composed of a synthetic plastic material, said pegs being located inwardly of the edge of the outsole and being spaced substantially equal distances apart, the outer ends of said pegs being positioned substantially flush with the grain surface of the outsole and their inner ends being broomed out to form heads which engage the flesh surface of the outsole and the material adjacent thereto and are arranged to be gripped by said material when it is compressed under the normal flexing of the outsole on a shoe during the wearing of the shoe, the gripping of said pegs in conjunction with the heads at said flesh surface pre venting the pegs from loosening or working downwardly out of the outsole during said flexing.

4. An outsole for a shoe comprising a sole shaped leather blank, a tap sole on the bottom of the forepart of said blank with its grain surface outermost, said blank and tap sole being molded to conform generally to the shape .of a last bottom, through-and-through stitches extending around the marginal portion of the shank and forepart of the blank and passing through the blank and tap sole at said forepart, and a plurality of pegs of plastic material reinforcing the blank and tap sole at said forepart, said pegs being spaced inwardly of said stitches with their outer ends substantially flush with the grain surface of the tap sole and their inner ends broomed out to form heads which engage the inner flesh surface of the blank and the material adjacent thereto, said heads serving to lock the pegs in the blank and tap sole and to prevent them from working downwardly out of said blank and tap sole under the lengthwise flexing thereof on a shoe during the wearing of the shoe.

LEROY W. ROLLINS. 

